Is there an anti-reflective window film to improve night driving?

[steve s]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Lurker

Lowes has some polarized window film that is pretty cheap and only has a light bronze tint.
Here is a link.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_65841-74130-...7C1&facetInfo=

I don't see where this stuff is polarized, not that it would make any difference for night driving.

[Cool Hand Lurker]

Originally Posted by steve s

I don't see where this stuff is polarized, not that it would make any difference for night driving.

Whoops! I looked at too many sites and gave the wrong link. Try this one:
http://www.polarization.com

[Pat Martone]

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

I will investigate the 3M products, and also think about the trying the Gila film from Lowes on my back window since that is easy to buy and install.

[30ccpickup]

Out of the box solution? (baby car shade)
https://www.google.com/search?q=baby...w=1600&bih=749

[Special Coupe Frank]

This is the one I put on the rear window of my coupe:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j...64306161139191

The clips hook right over the garnish moulding.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by figment

I had a rear view mirror glass (not Original) that was beveled and reflected all over the place. I took it out and it was much better.

Figment, I forgot about the bevels. When parked in the daylight, I could spot a WHOLE car comin' in just the bevel! One could tastefully cover the bevels with black plastic electrical tape. Bill W.

[Bruce,Upstate NY]

I pull the rear shade down. Isn't that what they're for?

[Jerry Parr WI]

The window film would most likely just make it worse. It you are really looking for a solution I would try the auto darking mirrors common on newer cars and available aftermarket from many sources.

[Craig Lewis]

The shiny back glass might your biggest problem. It bounces the headlights off the mirror and into your eyes....at certain angles it reflects back into the windshield and back again creating a double glare in the mirror.

Applying tint film to the back will make your problems much worse because tint film is reflective.

In Canada it's illegal to apply tinting film to any front windshield with the exception of an upper shade strip limited to I think 4 inches wide.

I like the idea someone mentioned about a semi tranparent shade on the back glass to dull the reflection.

Wish I had a Model A to drive and I could go experiment and feel your pain

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Pat Martone

I am wondering if there is some kind of anti-reflective window film that I can install on the inside of my windshield and rear window to reduce the many headlight reflections that I see when driving my Model A at night?

.

The straight windshield and the straight rear window set up an effect that bounces the light from the rear to the front, off the front and back to the rear much like the effect of standing between two mirrors and seeing your reflection go on forever.

I don't think any coating for the windows will solve that, but I hope I'm wrong and someone will post what has worked for them. As for me, I just open the windshield a little to solve the problem. My son solved it by getting a slant windshield car.

[Pat Martone]

Thanks for the continued supply of tips and information; I really appreciate this great exchange of ideas.

To Special Coupe Frank - I cannot get your Google link to work.

To Mike V - I have a Slant Windshield Town Sedan; I don't think the slightly tilted windshield helps much because I still see all kinds of headlight reflections as if many cars are coming towards me instead of one. I certainly hope that this effect is not much worse with a Model A that is not a Slant Windshield.

My rear window shade does reduce the reflections, but it also limits my rearward visibility. Perhaps it would be better if my rear window shade wasn't almost opaque.

If the main problem is reflections back and forth between the rear view mirror and the rear window, then maybe some kind of anti-reflective coating of the rear view mirror might help?

It would be nice to also solve the problem of reflections off of all of the door side windows; I've got lots of side windows, 3 on each side, in a 160B model.
Those side reflections can be the scariest, because I am sometimes startled and feel like a car is about to crash into me from the side. I would think the coupes and roadsters have less problems with side reflections.

[Special Coupe Frank]

Pat,

Sorry about the bum link...

I got mine as a two-pack from Wal-Mart.

It's listed on their web-site as:

Dream Baby Adjustable Car Shade - $11.99



(Kid is extra...)

Mine did not have the "Dream Baby" logo...

Good luck!

Frank

[Joe K]

The 28-29 CC pickups are not too bad this way. No inside mirror. Of course the rear facing window is about 9 x 14 inches. Still, I had to stand the front window out a bit.

Joe K

[larrys40]

Pat,
The purpose of the window shades ( in closed cars) was to cut down on the reflective bounce of the lights behind you at night. So use the shade if you have one. I'm not in to aftermarket things... but it's just part of driving Model A's at night. after all these years ( I'm only 52 but have been with them since 18) I am very use to it... you are seasoned and trained to it.. and of course you use extra caution in night time driving anyway. The original mirror I have in my tudor is one of the darker shades as well.. which aides in night time driving. They evolved even more through the v8 years.

TRy the shade! I believe it's what it was intended for.
Larry Shepard

[Kahuna]

I wish someone made a replacement rear-view mirror that was a Day-Night type,
like some modern cars. (I know, not original)

[34pickup]

I have problems with the halo effect at night. I had lasik surgery years ago and now have cataracts forming so I have used dark polarizing sunglasses at night that I bought for fishing and that seems to work for me. Night time in the rain is still nasty though.

[29ModelA]

Static cling, reusable and removable for shows.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Magic-In...ng+window+tint

or

http://www.amazon.com/Munchkin-Two-W...ng+window+tint

[Pat Martone]

Thanks again for all of the tips.

Now I've got a several great ideas to try out, once it's time to get the Model A out again, after the snow melts and the salt/sand gets washed off of the roads.